For the first time since we moved here we have actually finished work for Christmas. You know, a bit like that ‘ Friday Night’ feeling when work is over for the week and you ‘crack open’ a beer ( or in my case pour a glass of wine) we finished work last night and sat on the sofa and did just that; and it felt good, it felt as if we are finally ‘living a normal’, structured life.

I am now sitting in bed on a Saturday morning drinking my tea and pondering the week ahead, not least the day ahead. I have a few final things to get from the supermarket; we are having a simple Christmas with turkey, big sausages wrapped in bacon with honey and whole grain mustard poured over them, Brussel sprouts sautéed with smoked lardons (my favourite), roast potatoes and parsnips, assorted veg, Yorkshire puddings, and stuffing (and trust me that’s toned down from what I cooked in England!). We’re not doing presents, our gift will be watching the dogs play with their new toys.

When I get back today I am helping Rich cut logs and, yes you’ve guessed it! I will be log splitting! Tonight we are out for Rich’s ‘works Christmas do’ and it feels weird to be able to say that, but oh so good! I will even pull our some of my glamorous jewellery to wear!

Tomorrow I am cleaning the bedrooms, ironing and, you guessed it, log splitting! It’s all part of rural living.

On Monday it will be the final countdown, which means I change my bedding (there is nothing like a clean bed) and moving furniture to accommodate a record player (yes we can play our vinyl!) that we were gifted, and then we are off to a shindig with some friends.

Then we have the big day, for us it will be a relaxed day of snuggling, late dinner on our laps (we are totally chilling it down) and tv. late in the night I will make cold turkey sandwiches with pickles.

On boxing day (which they don’t celebrate in France) we are off to another get together, a buffet lunch at a dear friends.

I am really looking forward to this Christmas with new friends, it will be a simple Christmas full of it’s real meaning: spending time with good people and those you love, only this time it will be the new friends we have made on our adventure. As I write this I realise that is our Christmas gift.

We live a simple life we don’t have, or covet, lots of possessions, we know that is not the way to happiness, and we are happy.

We started Rich’s birthday weekend with a visit to a huge vide grenier in the stunning town of Lassay les Chateaux near to us.

What a place to visit, with French gems everywhere and saucisse and frites as well! But it was sooooo hot the dogs started to struggle and the baby Dylan had to be carried back to the car because the ground was burning her feet. Thankfully this year, as part of the summer frivolity and for his birthday, Rich has been given a swimming pool. It has been a Godsend, with our two lilo’s that fit in it that Karen and I spent all day yesterday floating on, and temperatures of over thirty degrees every day both us and the dogs have loved it.

Whilst this is a possession it is one for us all, but,other than that, we have not been out for lunch, I didn’t buy Rich a card, or a gift, but Karen did buy him a cake! We had prosecco, red wine, and Rich had some ciders someone had brought him over from England; I cooked him pancakes with maple syrup, and we all had lamb chops for tea (somewhat the worse for wear after drinking wine all day in the garden!)

It was baby Dylan’s first birthday as well so the Welshie’s joined in the party, running around with their paper hats on various parts of their bodies, anywhere but their heads! Only Harley kept it on for any length of time, but that’s the joy of a Welshie!

What more could you ask? Good food, good company, good wine, and dogs! Add to that the final of the World Cup and Wimbledon and the view and serenity of our garden and my husband’s prayers were answered.

By the time we all ate we were worn out, so Rich’s birthday cake has been saved for today, but the puppies had theirs, ice cream, cream and madeira cake, they’re not spoilt at all!!

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Today we will get some errands done, and go for a walk, possibly to the barrage (see post from January or look out for a new one soon.)